Weekly Shhhout-Out

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Having worked for Montgomery County Public Libraries for almost 20 years, I've come across divers and sundry titles and am definitely a fan of various genres. A literary sampling for those out there seeking something different (summary is followed by where in the library you can find the book):

* "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess. A vicious fifteen-year-old "droog" is the central character of this 1963 classic, whose stark terror was captured in Stanley Kubrick's magnificent film of the same title. In Anthony Burgess's nightmare vision of the future, where criminals take over after dark, the story is told by the central character, Alex, who talks in a brutal invented slang that brilliantly renders his and his friends' social pathology. A Clockwork Orange is a frightening fable about good and evil, and the meaning of human freedom. When the state undertakes to reform Alex to "redeem" him the novel asks, "At what cost?" READING LIST

* "48 Laws of Power" by Robert Greene. Greene has created an heir to Machiavelli's Prince, espousing principles such as, everyone wants more power; emotions, including love, are detrimental; deceit and manipulation are life's paramount tools. Anyone striving for psychological health will be put off at the start, but the authors counter, saying "honesty is indeed a power strategy," and "genuinely innocent people may still be playing for power." Amoral or immoral, this compendium aims to guide those who embrace power as a ruthless game, and will entertain the rest. 303.3 GRE

* "The Trial" by Franz Kafka. Written in 1914, The Trial is one of the most important novels of the twentieth century: the terrifying tale of Josef K., a respectable bank officer who is suddenly and inexplicably arrested and must defend himself against a charge about which he can get no information. Whether read as an existential tale, a parable, or a prophecy of the excesses of modern bureaucracy wedded to the madness of totalitarianism, Kafka's nightmare has resonated with chilling truth for generations of readers. READING LIST

* "Why We get Fat - and What to Do About It" by Gary Taubes. An eye-opening, paradigm-shattering examination of what makes us fat. In theNew York Timesbest seller Good Calories, Bad Calories,acclaimed science writer Gary Taubes argues that certain kinds of carbohydrates - not fats and not simply excess calories - have led to our current obesity epidemic. Now he brings that message to a wider, nonscientific audience in this exciting new book. Persuasively argued, straightforward, practical, and with fresh evidence for Taubes's claim, Why We Get Fat makes his critical argument newly accessible. Taubes reveals the bad nutritional science of the last century-none more damaging than the "calories-in, calories-out" model of why we get fat-and the good science that has been ignored, especially regarding insulin's regulation of our fat tissue. He also answers key questions: Why are some people thin and others fat? What roles do exercise and genetics play in our weight? What foods should we eat or avoid? Concluding with an easy-to-follow diet,Why We Get Fat is an invaluable key to understanding an international epidemic and a guide to improving our own health. 613.712 TAU